


Footprint

by Rose_Ten_Yes



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon Compliant, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 20:54:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5512973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_Ten_Yes/pseuds/Rose_Ten_Yes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone has a soulmate. The Doctor's is Rose Tyler.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Footprint

Every universe had something unique about itself. Some had zeppelins or America never becoming independent or entire planets never existing. This universe’s special thing was its soulmates.

Every humanoid had, on the heel of their left foot, the name of their soulmate written in the soulmate’s handwriting. In places where there was no writing system instead of a name there would be a picture of the person. Scientists of all times and species had spent countless hours trying to figure it out, but none ever did.

Some spent their lives searching for their soulmate only to die unhappy. Others hated the idea and actively avoided the name written on them. Some, such as the Master, constantly tried to murder their soulmate. Many simply let life take them where it wanted and met their soulmate and lived happily.

There were some advantages, of course. One knew better than to fall head-over-heels for someone whose name they didn’t have. One also knew immediately when they met the person they were meant to spend their life with.

There were disadvantages too. The main one being: they didn’t always match. If a boy named Tim had the name Alice on his foot, Alice might have the name Joe. Multiple people could have the same soulmate, but no one had more than one soulmate of their own. Tim, Bob, Harry, and Joe might all have Alice's name, but Alice could only ever have Joe's.

That was how it turned out for the Doctor. He was a time traveler and could have easily looked up his soulmate (whose name was Rose Marion Tyler written in sloppy cursive), but he was scared. The name was obviously human and he was destined to live millennia longer than her. So he decided to wait until he was in his final life to meet the girl.

He traveled over the universe, but somehow always ended up back on Earth as though he was being pulled there by Rose. He watched two teachers deny that they were each other's soulmate; he said nothing as young Sarah Jane pointed out that the weird circles on her foot looked a lot like the ones around the TARDIS; he was amazed when Romana blushed and refused to show him what hers said.

Then the war happened and he felt sure that he would not survive. Then, somehow, the details were fuzzy, he did and became the sole survivor. He met a girl in a basement whose name sent terror straight to his heart.

No. He didn’t want a soulmate. He didn’t deserve one, he certainly did not deserve this bright young human. But she was indeed Rose Marion Tyler, and his breath caught in his throat when she looked at the writing throughout the TARDIS in shock. Had he been one of the lucky few to have his soulmate match?

They were both scared; it was obvious. It took almost an entire Earth year for them to finally confess even the smallest portion of their feelings. It took twice as long for them to fall in bed together. Rose grinned when he showed her the name on his foot and he laughed as he pulled her boot off so he could see his own name written forever on hers.

It wasn’t his name.

It was Gallifreyan, that was clear, but it wasn’t the Doctor’s name. All it said was the Gallifreyan words for ‘noble’ and ‘human’. But he couldn’t let her know, didn’t want to let her know, that he wasn’t her soulmate after all, so he grinned wider and captured her mouth with his own.

Soon after that came the Daleks and the Cybermen and the time wasted on meaningless words and he was alone for scarcely three seconds before a certain noble human (oh, how he hated those words now) came into his life by way of the Racnoss and fiancés. He almost liked having her around, Donna Noble, but he understood why she left.

“Can’t believe I almost married him,” she said at one point. “Don’t even have his name on my foot.” When she said that he realized how Rose could love him even if he wasn’t her soulmate, and he carried that with him for a very long time.

Next came Martha, and he wasn’t her soulmate no matter how much she wished he was. She wouldn’t show him what hers was because they were a bit of a sore subject in her family (It was Mickey, he found out later. Her foot said Mickey Smith.) and she left once she finally realized he was a terrible person to be around.

Donna returned and met her soulmate Lee the exact same day that the Doctor met another woman who had his name on her heel. She got trapped in a fake universe and came back with the most beautiful words in the universe on her lips. Bad Wolf.

He was determined to keep her safe this time around. Her soulmate, the noble human with the Gallifreyan name, had certainly died in the war and no one - no one! - would prevent the Doctor from staying with his Rose.

Dalek. Hand. Metacrisis.

“Part Doctor, part Donna Noble. Half Gallifreyan, half human.” As the new Doctor spoke he looked at the Time Lord. They both knew what would happen if they were both in the same universe. Neither one could or would give up Rose and it was only fair that she get to have both her family and her true soulmate with her.

So the Doctor did what he always did. He left her behind.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Footprint (Remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6024918) by [Rose_Ten_Yes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_Ten_Yes/pseuds/Rose_Ten_Yes)




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